Lori Furoyama wants new faculty to feel grounded, not just employed.

Furoyama is the program coordinator for UH Mānoa’s program for new faculty, Ho’olauna. Ho’olauna means to “get together,” a name intentionally picked when the program was first imagined three years ago.

Furoyama’s recently completed PhD research taught her that deeper cultural understanding leads to better teaching, more meaningful service, and a better connection with Hawai’i’s communities.

Her research about new hires at UH highlights the deeper layers of transitioning to Hawai’i. Although Hawai’i is a U.S. state, many newcomers describe the experience as feeling “more like another country,” according to Furoyama’s feedback, due to its own language, cultural practices, history, and values.

To help immerse new faculty into understanding Hawai’i, Ho’olauna schedules monthly excursions. Participants visit different places from the lo’i patch on campus to Coconut Island, a private research island used by the school and is only accessible by boat. 

“There’s so many differences here. They need something like this to help,” Furoyama said.

In Furoyama’s dissertation, she stated that new faculty hesitate to use Hawaiian words. They fear cultural appropriation but learn that ʻŌlelo Hawai’i shows respect to the place they now call home. 

Many also learn to understand the political and cultural significance of the overthrow through the program’s historical downtown Honolulu tour. 

Dr. Thomas Kloss began teaching at UH Mānoa’s music department this fall and has been invited to join Ho’olauna for the next two years.

“It’s a really cool program. You learn about Hawai’i’s history and meet other new faculty who are figuring things out at the same time,” said Kloss, who directs the UH Mānoa marching band.

Kloss explained that he loves learning about a new culture and that Hawai’i has so many. He plans to attend more.

Furoyama loves her work.

“It’s my favorite thing to do,” she said.